Flora "Ann" (Bate) Sowers

Flora “Ann” Sowers, 82, of Elkhart, passed away peacefully at the Center for Hospice Care in Mishawaka on April 4, 2024 at 2:32 pm while convalescing there. She was born in Muskegon, Michigan on September 12, 1941 to the late William and Doris (VanHook) Bate and is preceded in death by her brother Richard Bate and her sister Linda Obert, as well as a granddaughter, Elizabeth Sowers.

Surviving Ann are her sons George W. Sowers of Granger and Michael R. Sowers of LaVergne, Tennessee; her daughter Teresa (Chad) Edwards of Cassopolis, Michigan; sister Elizabeth “Betty” Sagraves of Palmetto, Florida; grandchildren Benjamin Marsh, Larissa Sowers, Zachary (Kelcie) Edwards, Lucas and Jacob Edwards and James and Joshua Sowers; and great grandchildren Waylon, Weston and Huxlynn Edwards. Ann is also survived by a host of loving extended family, in-laws, friends and church family.

Services for Ann will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2024 at Billings Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Elkhart. Visitation will begin at 12:00 noon followed by a Celebration of Ann’s Life taking place at 2:00 pm. Pastor Carl Henry from the Northside Baptist Church will officiate, and burial will follow at Adamsville Cemetery in Edwardsburg, Michigan.

While Ann spent many years as an assembler at the Dometic Corporation in Elkhart, most will remember her smiling face as the manager at Shakey’s Pizza and from behind the counter at Ziesel’s Department Store, two of Elkhart’s more popular and venerated locales from the past. She also worked for quite a stint at the McDonald’s Restaurant on south Nappanee Street in the 1980’s.

Ann’s favorite pastime was to spend quality time with her grand and great grandchildren. Of course, she loved all of her family dearly, but the special enchantment brought about by visits from her dear grands simply made her day and they all would come to cherish each other’s company.

It was rumored that Ann loved to travel in her early years, but all agreed that the recent past showed that she loved to sew, shop and watch TV, but not necessarily in that order. She was an avid sewer, cross-stitcher and crocheter; and Ann’s daughter Teresa fondly remembers that she used to make clothes for her while in elementary school.

Finally, it should be mentioned that Ann was a devout Christian lady who enjoyed attending Sunday services when she could at Elkhart’s Northside Baptist Church. For those wishing to do so, memorial donations can be given to the Northside Baptist Church, The St. Jude Children’s Hospital or to the Center for Hospice Care, Mishawaka.

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